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Angara urges public: Don't pressure LGUs to suspend classes

Angara urges public: Don't pressure LGUs to suspend classes

GMA Network5 days ago
Education Secretary Juan Edgardo 'Sonny' Angara on Monday appealed to local governments and parents not to hastily suspend classes during light rains, warning that frequent cancellations have a negative effect on learning among Filipino students.
'Nakikiusap din kami sa publiko, mga magulang, mga estudyante. Huwag natin masyadong i-pressure ang ating local government, chief executives na konting ulan mag-suspend na tayo dahil pag sinumatotal natin ang nawawalang araw, malaki ang dagok o tama sa ating mga estudyante, yung tinatawag na learning loss,' Angara said in an ambush interview on Monday.
(We appeal to the public, to parents, to students. Let's avoid pressuring our local government officials to suspend classes every time it rains lightly, because when we total all the days we missed, the impact on our students is huge—this what we call learning loss.)
He said the Department of Education (DepEd) is now requiring schools to hold make-up classes to ensure students can still complete the required learning hours.
'Yung ini-emphasize namin that there must be make-up classes kasi matindi na yung learning loss talaga. Apektado ang bata pag masyadong maraming cancellation," he said.
(We're emphasizing that there must be make-up classes because the learning loss is already severe. Students are really affected when there are too many cancellations.)
These make-up sessions, however, do not have to fall on weekends.
'Saturday or after school kung kailan. Depende rin sa availability ng guro," he added.
(It could be on Saturdays or after school hours—depending on the availability of teachers.)
Catching up
Angara's statement comes as the country continues to face worsening academic performance among learners, particularly in reading and math.
He said DepEd is ramping up its interventions through the ARAL Program, which provides personalized tutorial and remediation sessions.
'Well it's still quite significant especially sa literacy at math. So we're addressing it this year with the Aral program. Nakita natin na very effective yung pagbibigay ng personalized tutorials," Angara noted.
(The proficiency gap is still quite significant, especially in literacy and math. So we're addressing that this year through the Aral program. We've seen that giving personalized tutorials is very effective.)
He also credited President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for his strong support of education reforms, including an expanded feeding program, hiring of more teachers, additional classrooms, and hiring of non-teaching staff to reduce the burden on educators.
The National Launch of the Expanded School-Based Feeding Program held in Antipolo City, which officially kicked off the rollout of the improved initiative targeting thousands of kindergarten pupils across the country.
DepEd said the school-based feeding program has been expanded to cover 120 days and now applies to all kindergarten students nationwide—marking the first time the program has gone fully universal at that level.
'Nasa 120 days na tayo. At the first time universal feeding, ibig sabihin lahat ng bata sa kindergarten ay kasama sa feeding program this year. Dahil yun talaga ang instruction sa amin ni Secretary Ted Herbosa ni Pangulong Marcos na palawigin, palawakin, palalimin itong school feeding program natin,' Angara said.
(We're now at 120 days. And for the first time, it's universal feeding—meaning all kindergarten children are included in the program this year. That's really the instruction given to us by Health Secretary Ted Herbosa and President Marcos: to expand and solidify the school feeding program.)
'Parang dati parang nasa 30-60 days lang. So ngayon umabot tayo ng 120 days," he added.
(Before, it used to be only around 30 to 60 days. Now we've reached 120 days.) — RF, GMA Integrated News
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Senators split on SC decision vs. Sara Duterte impeachment
Senators split on SC decision vs. Sara Duterte impeachment

GMA Network

timea day ago

  • GMA Network

Senators split on SC decision vs. Sara Duterte impeachment

Senators on Friday aired contrasting opinions on the decision of the Supreme Court (SC) to declare the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte as unconstitutional. Senator Risa Hontiveros was dismayed by the high court's decision, saying that there are 'many disturbing questions' about its short-term and long-term consequences. Citing the SC's decision on Gutierrez vs. House of Representatives, Hontiveros questioned how the one-year bar rule was violated, pointing out that the SC had explained that the consideration behind that "refers to the element of time, and not the number of complaints." 'Bukod pa, nakakabahala na tila nagdagdag ng napakaraming requirement ang Korte Suprema para simulan ang proseso ng impeachment. I can only hope that this new ruling will not adversely affect future efforts to hold our highest public officers accountable,' she said. (Aside from that, it is troubling how the Supreme Court seemingly added too many requirements to start the impeachment process.) 'Malinaw pa rin ang Saligang Batas - public office is a public trust - at walang opisyal ang may karapatan sa posisyon. Lahat ng opisyal ng bayan ay may pananagutan sa bawat Pilipino, and the constitutional right of the people to hold their highest officials accountable must always prevail. The people have every right to demand answers. Ipaglalaban namin ito,' she added. (The Constitution is still clear - public office is a public trust - and no official has a right to the position. All public officials are responsible to every Filipino, and the constitutional right of the people to hold their highest officials accountable must always prevail. The people have every right to demand answers. We will fight for this.) The SC has ruled unanimously, deeming that the articles of impeachment against Duterte is barred by the one-year rule under Article XI Section 3 paragraph 5 of the Constitution. Moreover, magistrates ruled that the articles violate the right to due process. The SC also said that the Senate cannot acquire jurisdiction over the impeachment proceedings. The high court, however, said that it is not absolving Duterte from any of the charges against her, but any subsequent impeachment complaint against her may only be filed starting February 6, 2026. In response, Senator Bam Aquino maintained that the impeachment trial should proceed as he called on fellow senators to immediately hold a caucus to discuss the decision, which he said 'ignored' the Senate's constitutional duty. 'Bilang co-equal branch, malinaw ang mandato ng konstitusyon at kapangyarihan ng senado, kaya nararapat na i-respesto ang proseso ng impeachment,' Aquino said. (As a co-equal branch, the constitutional mandate and power of the Senate are clear, so the impeachment process should be respected.) Senator Francis 'Kiko' Pangilinan also believed that the SC seemingly set aside the legal principle of the presumption of regularity of the acts of a co-equal branch of government. 'Sa ngayon nagsalita na ang Korte Suprema at kailangan igalang ito. Mapapaisip na lang tayo kung ganito pa rin ba ang magiging pasya ng SC kung sinunod ng Senado ang mandato ng Saligang Batas na 'to forthwith proceed with trial' gayong wala naman restraining order na inilabas yung SC nung inihain yung petisyon noong pang Pebrero' Pangilinan said. (So far the Supreme Court has spoken and it must be respected. We can only wonder if the SC's decision would still be the same if the Senate had followed the mandate of the Constitution to 'proceed with trial' even though there was no restraining order issued by the SC when the petition was filed in February.) Article XI Section 3(4) of the 1987 Constitution states that: 'In case the verified complaint or resolution of impeachment is filed by at least one-third of all the Members of the House, the same shall constitute the Articles of Impeachment, and trial by the Senate shall forthwith proceed.' 'Duty-bound' Meanwhile, Senator Joel Villanueva said that the Senate remains guided by its duty to uphold the rule of law and respect due process. 'As an impeachment court and as a legislative body, we remain committed to following the Constitution and established procedures and will continue to do so,' he said. Senator Imee Marcos also said that the decision of the Supreme Court should be respected. 'Sa mga kasamahan kong senador —trabaho na tayo! Wag na mamulitika!' (To my fellow senators, let us now work and stop politicking.) Senator Vicente "Tito" Sotto III, for his part, said that he is still studying the SC decision and is seeking advice on the matter. 'Being a member of the impeachment court, I would rather hear what the [House of Representatives] has to say. I was just told by a legal luminary that in this situation, we can disregard the SC decision. Let me study that advice,' Sotto said. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada also said he expects the Senate to take a collective stand by acceding to the high court's decision once the 20th Congress opens on July 28, Monday. 'Nonetheless, I welcome this decision, which serves as a vital reminder that all efforts to hold public officials accountable must be firmly grounded in legality and due process,' Estrada said. 'As a co-equal branch of government, we must abide by the decision of the Supreme Court. Even in a political process like impeachment proceedings, we must adhere to established procedures and due process to ensure that our actions are neither arbitrary nor solely driven by political agendas,' he added. Senator Ronald 'Bato' Dela Rosa also expressed belief that the SC was 'guided by the Holy Spirit' when it made the decision. 'When I moved for the dismissal of the impeachment complaint vs VP Sara, I was guided by the Holy Spirit. When the SC ruled it as unconstitutional, I'm sure they were guided also by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit defeated the forces of evil! Hallelujah!' Dela Rosa said. To recall, when the Senate impeachment court first convened on June 10, Dela Rosa made a motion in the Senate plenary seeking that the verified impeachment complaint against Duterte be dismissed. Senator Alan Peter Cayetano later that day moved to amend Dela Rosa's motion to instead have the articles of impeachment returned to the House of Representatives without dismissing or terminating the case. The House of Representatives impeached Duterte on February 5, with over 200 lawmakers endorsing the complaint. The Vice President was accused of betrayal of public trust, culpable violation of the constitution, graft and corruption, and other high crimes. Duterte, meanwhile, entered a 'not guilty' plea in the verified impeachment complaint filed against her, which she called merely a 'scrap of paper.' —LDF, GMA Integrated News

P20/kilo rice, farm to market roads remain work in progress
P20/kilo rice, farm to market roads remain work in progress

GMA Network

timea day ago

  • GMA Network

P20/kilo rice, farm to market roads remain work in progress

In his 2024 State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. highlighted the hardships confronting the Filipinos due to the rising prices of food. "The hard lesson of this last year has made it very clear that whatever current data proudly bannering our country as among the best-performing in Asia, means nothing to a Filipino, who is confronted by the price of rice at 45 to 65 pesos per kilo," Marcos had said in his report to the nation last year. Back then, the price of rice per kilo was far from the P20 per kilo he had promised the Filipinos when he campaigned for the presidency in 2022. But the efforts of Marcos, who sat as Agriculture secretary from July 2022 to November 2023, could not be ignored to achieve his P20 per kilo rice goal. The government, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), has been consistently opening Kadiwa stores that sell rice at P20 per kilo. Marcos also vowed to prioritize enhancing local production to address the high food cost and build the necessary infrastructure to prop up agricultural productivity and assist farmers. He had said in his SONA that a total of 1,200 kilometers of farm-to-market roads all over the country will be completed. Further, Marcos said over 9,300 farm equipment would be distributed and more than 80,000 hectares of land would be irrigated. The projects remain in the works. In his visit to Balingasag, Misamis Oriental in April 2025, Marcos reported that in Region X (Northern Mindanao), the government was able to construct almost 70 kilometers of farm-to-market roads. "Sa buong bansa, umabot na sa 1,162 kilometro ang naitayo nating mga daan, at higit 865 linyang-metro naman ng tulay," he said. Since his presidency, Marcos said 36,000 pieces of machinery and agricultural equipment had been distributed to farmers' cooperatives and associations for post-harvest. While under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, 12,000 pieces of machinery and equipment had been provided from July 2022 up to March 2025. A month before Marcos' fourth State of the Nation Address, the Economy and Development (ED) Council, formerly known as the NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) Board, approved the P27.7-billion Farm-to-Market Bridges Development Program of the Department of Agriculture. Under the program, the DA said it aims for the construction of 300 climate-resilient modular steel bridges across 52 provinces in 15 regions. 'By improving physical connectivity in farming and fishing communities, the Farm-to-Market Bridges Development Program addresses persistent infrastructure gaps that limit market access, increase post-harvest losses, and hinder rural productivity," said ED Council vice chairperson and Economics Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. "It also aims to uplift rural incomes and improve food logistics, particularly in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas,' Balisacan added. The Agriculture Department also reported that it had completed over 450 agri-infrastructure projects, including farm-to-market roads, fish ports, and food storage facilities. Further, agriculture insurance now protects more than 1.3 million farmers, livestock raisers, and fishers. 'Through the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program, aligned yields have improved from 3.3 to 4.2 metric pounds per hectare, with the first quarter yields again at 4.09 metric pounds. We are also expanding value-chain innovation,' said DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel in a speech, as delivered by Agriculture Director Karen Roscom in a summit in Manila. Benefits A number of farmers expressed relief with the administration's efforts, saying that farm-to-market roads are a long-awaited solution. 'Mahalaga para sana may madaanan kami at mayroon kaming mapagbiladan ng palay namin,' said Robert Lopez, a rice farmer in Mangaldan, Pangasinan, in a report by GMA Regional TV. (It is vital so that we can have paved roads for our goods and an area for drying palay.) Approved by the DA, the local government in Mangaldan and the barangay, a farm-to-market road is set to connect Barangays Guilig, Malabago, and Bari. Initial groundwork, such as soil filling, has already begun. Guilig Councilman Louie Prestoza said the project, which is estimated to reach P3 million, will make it more convenient for farmers to transport their goods and will serve as an alternate route for public and private vehicles in the area. 'Hindi lang kami dito ang mabebenepisyuhan. Marami, kahit na taga-ibang lugar,' Prestoza said. (It is not just us here who will benefit. Many more residents, even from other places.) P20 per kilo of rice Marcos' campaign promise of P20 per kilo of rice has been initially implemented in the Visayas region, and is set to be rolled out across the country in the coming months. The second phase of the program commenced this July in the Mindanao region. Marcos said it took time for him to fulfill his promise because the government needs to assist the local farmers first, including the provision of machinery. The P20 per kilo rice initiative under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program only allows members of vulnerable sectors—including indigents, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents to buy NFA rice at P20 per kilogram. Moreover, it can also be availed by minimum wage earners. Marcos expressed confidence that his administration could sustain its implementation. Increasing prices of goods With the price of some goods increasing, Marcos said the government is also monitoring "price gouging" in the consumer market. "Iyon lamang binabantayan natin ngayon 'yung price gouging. Dahil ang dami ko nang nakita nagtataas ng presyo, hindi naman tumaas ang presyo ng langis. So, iyon ang babantayan natin ngayon. That's what we are going to watch," he said. (We're monitoring the price gouging. Because I've seen a lot of price hikes even though fuel prices have not increased. So that's what we will monitor right now. That's what we are going to watch.) Farmers However, the progressive group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said that farmers and fisherfolk remain waiting for the fulfilment of the President's SONA promises. KMP chairperson Danilo Ramos lamented that majority of the Filipino farmers do not own the land they till, and continue to lose it due to land conversion. He also said the people in other areas of the country await the affordable rice promised by Marcos. Ramos said they also continue to long for the day when the country would be rice self-sufficient and would no longer need to buy imported rice.—LDF/RSJ, GMA Integrated News

ARAL Act, revised senior high program adopted for learning recovery
ARAL Act, revised senior high program adopted for learning recovery

GMA Network

time2 days ago

  • GMA Network

ARAL Act, revised senior high program adopted for learning recovery

When President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. delivered his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) in 2024, he ordered that the gaps in the Philippine education system be addressed as he lamented the 'poor reality' hounding young learners. Back then, the President cited international assessments revealing that more than half of students in Grades 6, 10, and 12 failed to reach the ideal proficiency levels, faring low in information literacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. Marcos thus declared that the national learning recovery program must proceed 'without the slightest disruption,' especially in basic education. 'Our system of education must be strategically calibrated to make sure that our youth are not only taught to become literate. But, it must also consciously develop them into problem-solvers, and into critical thinkers—hungry for success, ready for the future,' he said in his third presidential address. This was a resounding call to address the country's persistent learning crisis, one deepened by years of lockdowns due to the pandemic and underinvestment despite the education sector being given the highest budgetary priority as mandated by the 1987 Constitution. This year, Marcos is set to return to Batasang Pambansa to deliver his fourth SONA, which marks the middle of his term as president. Where does the country stand now in terms of implementing the learning recovery program? In its Year Two report released in January, the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) pointed out that the Department of Education's (DepEd) own National Learning Recovery Program (NLRP) faces 'significant criticism and is in need of massive reforms' due to certain flaws in its design. To recall, the DepEd adopted the NLRP in 2023 under the leadership of then-Education Secretary, Vice President Sara Duterte, to address the learning gaps that were heightened by school closures and disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic. The NLRP also aims to deal with the low performance of Filipino learners in international, large-scale, and national assessments. EDCOM 2, a congressional body tasked to make a comprehensive assessment and evaluation of the performance of the Philippine education sector, recommended that the NLRP be revamped to ensure proper targeting, prompt support, and proper assessment of students that require urgent intervention—with a focus on those lacking foundational competencies. This call for reforms was welcomed by Duterte's successor as DepEd chief, Sonny Angara. ARAL Law One notable move made by the Marcos administration since the 2024 SONA was signing into law the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Act, which establishes a national learning intervention program for struggling learners to meet grade-level standards. Led by DepEd, the ARAL program is a free project that would focus on improving students' competencies in essential learning areas, including reading and mathematics for Grades 1 to 10, and science for Grades 3 to 10. As for the Kindergarten learners, the program would focus on building foundational skills to strengthen their literacy and numeracy competencies. Tutorial sessions would also be conducted either through a face-to-face, online, or blended learning approach to help ensure the effectiveness and accessibility of learning. Angara said he believes that the new law would significantly improve Filipino students' performance in international assessments, like the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), in the long term. However, he admitted that immediate results might not be evident in time for the 2025 PISA, which was held from March to April this year. Marcos had directed DepEd to prioritize improvements in the country's PISA scores after the 2022 results reflected Filipino learners' poor performance in mathematics, science, and reading. That time, the Philippines ranked sixth from the bottom among 81 participating countries and economies. A separate 2022 PISA report also revealed that Filipino students placed second-to-last when it comes to creative thinking. These results mirrored the findings of the EDCOM 2, which noted that even after a decade of implementing the K to 12 system, Filipino students continue to fall behind regional and global peers in key academic competencies. Revised SHS curriculum Another key highlight in education since the previous SONA was the pilot implementation of the revised Senior High School (SHS) curriculum this School Year 2025-2026. Among the salient features of this new curriculum is the reduction of core subjects from the 15 being offered per semester, to just five that will be offered for a full year in Grade 11. These five new subjects are: Effective Communication (Mabisang Komunikasyon), Life Skills, General Mathematics, General Science, and Pag-aaral ng Kasaysayan at Lipunang Pilipino. This development came after Marcos, in August 2024, directed the rationalization of the SHS curriculum as he wanted to ensure that SHS graduates could acquire high-quality jobs. But calls for education reforms further escalated when it was revealed in congressional hearings earlier this year that approximately 5.58 million high school graduates, including junior high school completers aged 10 to 64, were considered 'functionally illiterate" because of a lack of comprehension skills. Angara said that the DepEd has been taking action to address the issue in order to prepare the children for a better future. Among the agency's interventions, he said, are intensifying remedial and literacy programs and the use of data in schools. He said teaching and assessment methods have also been improved, and the students are being honed to be critical thinkers and have 21st-century skills, instead of merely memorizing lessons. DepEd also revised its class suspension protocols, allowing schools and local government units (LGUs) to have more discretion when it comes to the declaration depending on real-time conditions. Before, classes were automatically canceled under any public storm signals. Angara thus reminded school officials and LGUs to be prudent in declaring class suspensions, emphasizing the need for learning continuity and to minimize learning loss. Also included in the agency's interventions in times of calamity is the rollout of durable and mobile modular classrooms that will replace temporary learning spaces in disaster-hit areas. Digitalization, connectivity Aside from addressing the classroom gap, Marcos in his last SONA said that the digital gap should also be addressed with as much intensity. The President then expressed hope that all students will be equipped with computers, smart TVs, essential programs, digital books, and access to reliable power and internet connection. 'Digitalization and solar-powered electricity must now be standard features in our schools and in our classrooms. Simply put, this is educational reform through technology,' he said. To realize this vision, DepEd began implementing several digitalization initiatives. Through a public-private partnership approach, the agency has been pursuing smart classrooms, ICT equipment, and upgraded e-learning materials, while aiming to improve digital connectivity nationwide. DepEd has also deployed smart TVs, laptops, and other devices to public schools to support digital learning and reduce reliance on printed modules. These tools are expected to enhance interactive and blended learning delivery in classrooms. Teachers and students in geographically isolated and underserved public schools are likewise expected to benefit from improved internet connectivity under the government's ongoing "Free WiFi for All" initiative. The road to full recovery remains steep. While the Marcos administration has made progress in addressing learning gaps, the scale of the education crisis in the country demands faster execution, deeper investments, and stronger accountability. With millions of students needing help and an entire generation at risk of being left behind, eyes and ears are now turned to Marcos' next SONA to know his next moves to improve the quality of education in the country. —LDF/RSJ/NB, GMA Integrated News

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